TAMPA, Fla. -- Looking to recapture some of last week's magic -- in which a mallard duck appeared on the field in a 48-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers -- the Tampa Bay Buccaneers enlisted the help of a rally duck against the New Orleans Saints this week.
The Bucs worked with a wildlife conservation group -- Ducks Unlimited -- to have another female mallard at the game, along with her handler.
Two key figures from Tampa Bay's Super Bowl LV-winning team, quarterback Tom Brady and center Ryan Jensen, met the duck, along with general manager Jason Licht.
LOOK WHO'S BACK 🦆😎 pic.twitter.com/rDwsLB9Ay0
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 5, 2025
Iconic 🤝 pic.twitter.com/fcmN7x81QI
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 5, 2025
GM of the Year 🫡 pic.twitter.com/jTDhWvXdKU
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 5, 2025
The Bucs either need to defeat the Saints or hope the Atlanta Falcons lose to the Panthers to secure a fifth-consecutive playoff berth and fourth-straight division title.
The original rally duck appeared on the field just moments before outside linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka blocked a punt that inside linebacker J.J. Russell returned for a touchdown, leading fans to chant "Ducky! Ducky! Ducky!" as the tiny bird was shown on the jumbotron. Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans said at the time that he believed the duck was good luck. "That was our good luck duck," he said. "I've never seen us block a punt, and then we scored a touchdown. When the duck flew on the field, that was amazing." Evans is certainly hoping the duck can do it again today, as he needs 85 receiving yards to tie Jerry Rice's all-time record of 11 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
